A Bundle of Joy?
by TheBoglies
Summary: Author: Becky Anne After Lexie and Archie are married, Archie visits with his sister Lizzie and Katrina in London.
1. Default Chapter

**BUNDLE OF JOY? - PART 1 - BY: BECKY ANNE**

Based upon the beginnings of a story by UK Boglies on the UK Board. 

**Chapter 1**

Evening was casting its shadow over London as Katrina began to clear her desk for the day. Usually she would be longing to leave her cramped research and escape the stickiness of London for the Scottish Highlands. But she knew that the start of recess meant decision time. Her contract was up at the end of the session and the representative for Strathspey had personally asked her if she would run for elected office from the small town. She couldn't believe that something she had always wanted—the chance to be in the thick of things, to be able to make decisions that could affect life for the good of the people—was causing her so much soul searching. She closed her eyes and sat there thinking…could she do it? Go back to Strathspey, move back to Glenbogle?…Perhaps she could-- she had her life and he had his. But the nagging thoughts at the back of her mind remained. 

She heard a slight rapping on the door. "Who is it?" She heard no answer, instead the door slowly opened. Katrina backed up and looked around for something to pick up—"Lizzie!" Katrina screamed. "When did you get back from India? How did you get past security? Where's Martha…Oh it is so good to see you!" 

"Still the same old Katrina," Lizzie laughed, "Questions, Questions, Questions. Actually, I was able to get a plane back this morning. Martha is fine, we are in London for a few days before we go up to Glenbogle, now what about you? You look fantastic! What's new? ´ 

Katrina thought, should she tell Lizzie now? Should she tell Lizzie at all? She was Archie's sister and whatever she told her was bound to get back to Archie. But then again, Lizzie was a confidant and good friend to Katrina. Katrina had been there when Martha was born and at the times when Lizzie needed her most. "Well, emm, actually Lizzie…" Katrina finally mumbled. 

"Oh come on Katrina, I know that look on your face, you've got some news to tell me haven't you?" Inquired Lizzie, smiling devilishly. What is it, someone special in your life?" Katrina turned red. " Well you see it's just that…you haven't met my--…." Oh I knew it!" Lizzie smirked--.…um daughter." "What! You didn't tell me you were pregnant, you didn't even let on you were seeing someone! It's Alan, isn't it! I thought you two might get back together especially after the business with my brother!" " "Well actually…" Katrina was thinking fast. "It isn't Alan's. There was nothing to let on. It was a mistake, he doesn't know, and I have no plans to tell him, please Lizzie, no more questions. So are you back for good from India?" 

Katrina was desperately trying to change the subject. It wasn't that she didn't want to discuss Emma, she just didn't wish to explain things, not right now, before she had time to think. 

"mmmm. Okay for now, but Martha is longing to see her Godmother, in fact her Godfather is coming down to London tomorrow, and I thought about having a little get together. Archie has some new financial statements to sort out with the bank. Now I know that Archie is married, but you two are…were….such good friends. Isn't friendship worth saving? He told me about your last visit to Glenbogle. 

Katrina was flummoxed. Seeing Archie! Her stomach turned to jelly, her hands turned white and clammy, her thoughts swam around in her head. But perhaps she should get it over now rather than later. If she moved back, she'd be bound to see him at any time of the day in and around town. 

"Katrina, do you want to have lunch tomorrow? I'll bring Martha with me, Archie may also be there (she noticed the look on Katrina's face) um….Martha has never really seen London. We could take both her and your daughter out to the park." 

"That sounds like a great idea." Katrina said, "I am sure Emma would love to meet her….Martha." 

Lizzie looked at Katrina a bit puzzled, but she turned to the door told Katrina she'd see her tomorrow and left the office.


	2. Part 2

**BUNDLE OF JOY? - PART 1 - BY: BECKY ANNE**

**Chapter 2**

Later that evening Katrina sat quietly in the window of her flat. Emma had been fed and put to bed so she was alone to her thoughts. Katrina was enjoying the quiet of the night, something she was rarely able to do since Emma was born. She sat staring out at the twinkling lights of the city. She couldn't see the stars here. She was used to the city now, but she found herself longing for the quiet of the Highlands. She remembered the sweet sound of the crickets singing in the moonlight and the gentle swish of the small ripples splashing off the loch when the cool breezes blew. She pictured the walks she used to take along the canopy of trees lining the roadway, their fragile branched forming an umbrella over the roadway to and from the small village of Glenbogle and she thought of the house looming over the lush wilderness. Her tiny cottage… 

She heard a car honk from below startling her out of her daze. She began thinking of today's events. The job did look very attractive, but there were so many doubts in her mind. Would she be accepted back into the community? What would Lexie think of her returning? Could she cope with the pressures of the job, bringing up Emma, and seeing Archie? Then again, there were so many advantages, the fresh clean air, the beautiful scenery, the forests, the mountains, the loch…Her thoughts were interrupted by the phone. 

She got up from her perch in the window and stretched her legs, answering the phone. "Hi Katrina it's me" said the voice. It took Katrina a moment to realize it was Lizzie on the other end. "My plans for tonight have changed, and I was wondering if I could stop by your flat for a sort of girl's night?" 

"Okay, just give me a chance to straighten up over here." She heard a pause and some muffled voices. Great, I'll be there in half an hour" with that Lizzie hung up the phone leaving Katrina feeling rather puzzled as to why Lizzie would want to come over, after all she was going to see her tomorrow. She shrugged her shoulders and picked up a stuffed bear from the floor. 

Later, Katrina heard a knock at the door. She went to the door opening it expecting to see Lizzie and maybe Martha standing at the other side, but when she opened the door who should be standing there but both Lizzie and Archie. Katrina's face went white. She turned to Lizzie and then to Archie and back to Lizzie. "Hello Katrina." She thought she was going to faint, her voice shaky. "Hi, err, sorry, didn't expect….well…for it to be you, bit of a surprise." 

Lizzie smiled. "I didn't know he was coming so soon either until he turned up on my doorstep a few hours ago!" 

"Well," Archie started, I had to see Fleming. Just some business with the wedding and the bank, then when I heard Lizzie was back in the country. I thought I'd call to see her while I was here. She told me she had a surprise for me." 

"And then I drag the poor chap over here to see you" said Lizzie, "I'd heard that your last meeting didn't end so well, even if it didn't work out, you two were such good friends. It's rather like old times isn't it, just the three of us together again." 

Well not quite thought Katrina, some things have changed. And with that there was a noise from deep inside the flat. "Did I hear something?" Asked Archie. "That's one of the things that have changed." Said Katrina, as she went off to see why her daughter was crying. Archie looked questioningly at Lizzie. He was not so sure what to think. Katrina with a child? When could this have occurred? The last he saw of Katrina she was telling him that she loved him, had come back to Glenbogle to teach and see if they could return to the place they had left off so long ago. He had told her that they could not go back to that place, that he had fallen in love with Lexie and was marrying her. 

Katrina could hear the mutterings from Emma's bedroom. "Just go through to the lounge, I'll be with you in a moment, there's some wine opened, help yourself." She called from over her shoulder. 

Katrina was thinking fast as she settled Emma. When she looked at her with her dark brown tousled hair, and those big brown questioning eyes, she reminded her so much of her father. This was not meant to happen…especially like this, thankfully Emma began to settle…she looked in the mirror…composed herself and muttered, "Archie MacDonald—timing perfect as usual"—with that she took a deep breath and walked back to the lounge. 

As she walked back, she could hear Archie and Lizzie talking quietly, but as she entered the room she was met with silence. 

"Ok you two, what is so interesting? Katrina asked as she entered the room. "Oh Archie was just filling me in on the happenings in Glenbogle," said Lizzie. "Anyway, Katrina are you going to fill us in on the juicy details of life here in London, the man in your life and please tell us all about your beautiful daughter, Lizzie mused, picking up one of the carefully framed photos of the little girl. 

"It is not something I choose to dwell on…when I came to London I was lonely…I missed home, you know, I met Emma's father a few months later, and things happen. The only thing to come out of it was Emma…She is the only one in my life now, she just turned four months old last week." Katrina's mind was racing, she couldn't tell Archie he's Emma's father…it had been over a year now…what would he think? He was just married…no she knew she couldn't do this to him. 

There was a time a few months ago when she would have given anything to tell Archie of Emma. She had gone back to Glenbogle to apply for the job of head teacher, a job she had previously held. It was then she found out about Archie and Lexie. It wasn't something she would never have expected, she had caught them in a compromising situation in the kitchen more than two years ago, but it still hurt. She loved Archie before she left and thought, just maybe, maybe he might still feel the same way. His life had moved on, he made that clear. Telling him about Emma would have complicated things beyond what she wanted to deal with at the time. 

Lizzie looked at Katrina as she thought. She sensed her brother had many unanswered questions on his mind and Katrina in no mood to answer them. Lizzie always thought those two should be together. She even went as far as attempting to get them together, but it had not worked. Lizzie raised her glass and said, " Katrina, to your first born" Archie stop staring like that and toast Emma!"


	3. Part 3

 **BUNDLE OF JOY? - PART 1 - BY: BECKY ANNE**

**Chapter 3**

Archie looked at Katrina and asked, "Well, do we get to meet Emma?" Katrina's mind began racing again, would he notice the resemblance? The age? Would he see his own eyes in Emma? Katrina had seen the baby pictures around Glenbogle household and knew that Emma looked exactly like Archie as a baby, would Archie notice this? "Katrina?" "Yes, of course, let me go get her and bring her out here, it's almost time for her feeding" Katrina left the room once more, Lizzie followed her… "Katrina what aren't you telling me? Lizzie asked, looking very concerned, "just happened? I didn't believe that story this afternoon and I certainly don't believe it tonight, You are much more careful than that, you remember what you told me when I told you about Martha, Katrina who is the father, come on….you can tell me…. 

Katrina looked at Emma sleeping in her crib. The child sighed, opened her eyes and looked at her. "Oh my! Lizzie gasped, " she is a little big for four months, I have a daughter, I should know. No baby is this big at four months, even if she weighed more than average at birth…Lizzie was rambling on and on, "Katrina who is her father, and don't give me that story about meeting someone in London….This baby looks at least six months, you never could have met a man and had a baby by him in that time. I know you too well to believe that story." 

Katrina went ghost white. She knew she was on the spot now. She began her story. "When I left Glenbogle and came out here…" Katrina thought for a moment, she could not lie to her best friend. "No Lizzie I'll tell you the truth, she's your niece" Lizzie looked at her. " She's Archie's daughter. Please don't tell him…I have to be the one to do it, but in my own time. He is just married, I can't do this to him. Lizzie had so many questions. 

Katrina explained. " I didn't even know I was pregnant before I left. I never intended to leave Glenbogle, but when I got the job offer, Archie wanted me to take it. We talked it over and knew that a long distance relationship would work for neither of us. I found out I was pregnant about 2 months after I took the job in London. I was going to tell Archie, but….I just didn't know how to tell him, and then I heard of the Glenbogle Ball from Golly. Golly told me of Archie's proposal to Lexie. I did go back to Glenbogle when the teaching position opened up, I thought I'd tell Archie about Emma then, but Archie made it clear he was in love with Lexie, and that it was not going to change. I know that keeping Emma a secret was wrong, but I later heard of your father's death and Lexie and Archie's marriage. It was too late. "So you had Emma by yourself here in London? You know he would have immediately come if you told him. He has a right to know." 

Katrina thought for a moment. "That was the problem, he didn't love me, not enough anyway. I didn't want him to think he had to stay with me or marry me, you know Archie, he would do his duty…Emma doesn't need a father in her life who is just doing his duty to her" 

"So you want Emma to find out about Archie the way you found out about your father, one day she will find out that everything you ever told her about her father was a lie?" 

They heard Archie call them from the lounge. Katrina picked up Emma and put her into Lizzie arms. "Please don't say a word." Lizzie looked at Katrina flummoxed, "Katrina, he's not stupid, Emma is his splitting image." Lizzie carried Emma out to the lounge, and Katrina followed her. 

Archie stared for a moment at Emma, looked at her eyes, her hair, her face…she reminded him of someone, he saw in his head pictures his mother had lined up in her room back at Glenbogle, then it dawned on him. "Katrina?" 

**To be continued...**


	4. Part 4

**BUNDLE OF JOY? - PART 2 - BY: BECKY ANNE**

Based upon the beginnings of a story by UK Boglies on the UK Board. 

**Chapter 4**

Katrina burst into tears. Archie looked at her questioningly. 

Katrina found she could not keep the secret any longer, She looked Archie in the eyes and exclaimed; "Yes, she is your daughter!" She then turned and ran out of the room. 

'Lizzie, what did she mean by that?" Archie looked completely flummoxed "Archie, were you and Katrina "together" before she left for London? Emma is six months old." 

"Of course, we were together for 7 months or so" Archie paused, and he quickly did the math in his head. He looked at the door through which Katrina had just run, got up quickly and ran after her. He followed the hallway down to Emma's room. Katrina was standing by the crib, holding a teddy bear. Not crying, but looking alone and desolate. Archie stared at her for a moment. He didn't quite know what to do? 

"So she really is my daughter?" Archie asked, still amazed. "What do you really think I would make something up like that? Trying to win you back from Lexie?, Yes, I was not happy that you chose Lexie over me that day, but I would never make something up that would hurt you or your family that much." 

"Katrina, if she really is my daughter, I have a right to see her" Katrina thought about this, she knew this was true, but she had gotten used to him being out of her life, she had given up on the idea of getting Archie back after he chose Lexie that day on the road, he told her that they really couldn't see each other if she moved back to Glenbogle. 

"You never wrote, you never called, we were going to run the estate together, we had such plans and then you told me to take the job in London. When I finally got the courage to go to Glenbogle and tell you, you had already proposed to Lexie. You love Lexie, I could not do that to the two of you. She is my daughter, I can take care of her myself. 

"she is my daughter too, I want to help. I need to help. I grew up without the support of my father. When I was old enough, he sent me away to boarding school. I do not want that for my children. Come back to Glenbogle. We will work things out." 

"but Lexie…." "I am not saying that I am divorcing her or leaving her, I love Lexie, I always will love Lexie., but come back and we'll work things out." "I am coming back. Maybe anyway. I have been given the chance to run for council from Glenbogle and I am thinking about taking it. I just don't know if I could take seeing you and Lexie possibly everyday always thinking what might have been, what could have been…. Living with the choices I have made in my life. Archie, I will always love you and that will never change." 

Archie was a bit taken back by that remark, "Just come back for now. Let me help. When we get back we will figure something out. I promise." 

It was later in the evening, Lizzie had left the flat to relieve Martha's babysitter. Archie had stayed behind to "work things out with Katrina" Katrina was sleeping on the couch. Archie looked over at her. He thought, How could I have let her go? I love Lexie, but I loved Katrina too. I was never truly able to show her how much I loved her. She drove me crazy with all of her preaching. He knew that everything she said was true, but he had a family with a vast history on the estate to protect. It never would have, could have worked out between them. He definitely knew that for a fact. He was confused, but knew what he had to do to make things right. He looked down at Emma, the little girl sleeping in his arms. She had Katrina' s falling curls, but his color and his eyes. He knew at that moment he needed to keep this child in his life. She was his daughter. Lexie had to understand that, didn't she?


	5. Part 5

 **BUNDLE OF JOY? - PART 2 - BY: BECKY ANNE**

**Chapter 5**

The sun was peeking out from between the clouds, it was morning. Lizzie stopped at the front door of the building, her arms full of things and reached up to push the buzzer that would let her into the building. Martha was coming up behind her dragging a child-sized suitcase behind her. Lizzie looked at her and smiled, taking the suitcase from her and up the front stairs, "I want to push the button, I want to push the button," the little girl pulled on her skirt and Lizzie lifted the girl up to ring the bell. She was surprised to look up from helping Martha climb the stairs, to see Archie standing at the door. "you spent the night? Where's Katrina?" 

She is still sleeping, come in. We packed last night. I do need to go back to my room and pick up my things though. And with that he picked up Martha and carried her to the elevator. Lizzie took the girl from him, 'We are fine. You go do that and I'll go wake Katrina." 

With that the door shut. Upstairs Lizzie led Martha into the flat and sat her down on the couch in the lounge with a coloring book and crayons. She then went in search of Katrina whom she found on the couch in Emma's room feeding her a bottle. "I will assume you and Archie have come to an agreement? Are you coming up to Glenbogle with us today? 

Yes I am going back, but I am not staying in the house. I am going to move back into my old cottage temporarily while I decide what I want to do. I see myself with two options, I can run for council or I can stay here and sign a contract for another year. I also made Archie call Lexie last night and explain to her the whole situation. I just do not want to do anything that could hurt their marriage. She had to know. Lizze, I do love Archie, I think I always will, but I also know that Archie loves Lexie and I am not going to change that. I watched him talk to her last night. I could see the love in his eyes as he spoke to her. You could actually hear it in his voice." 

"How did she take the news?" Not very well I take it. "Archie spent an enormous amount of time on the phone with her last night first trying to explain what he was doing in my flat at that time of night and then trying to convince her that I am coming back with the baby to figure out the situation and not trying to get Archie back from her." 

Lizzie heard Martha calling for her and called out to her to come to the room and meet her baby cousin. Martha came running at the sound of her mother's voice into the room. Martha came up next to the girl and gave her a kiss on her forehead. She settled herself next to Katrina watching her feed Emma. The two woman were talking lively about going back to Glenbogle, neither having been there in a while, when Archie walked into the room. I have five tickets on a sleeper to Glenbogle station. Duncan is picking us up there and taking us to the house. 

Later that morning they packed up the hired car and left for the airport. 

**TO BE CONTINUED….**


End file.
